


I'll Hold My Breath

by starlightdaydreams



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Break ups and make ups, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Homophobia, Mutual Pining, On-Again/Off-Again Relationship, Original Character(s), Real World Problems, References to Sex, Slow Burn, half the chapters are drabble length, matchmaker crush later on, rival to romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2020-03-14 16:54:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 18,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18952168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightdaydreams/pseuds/starlightdaydreams
Summary: "I don't even know what I did to make you act like you hate me!" Her eyes locked with Catra's blue and gold ones.The other girl looked away, running a hand through her perpetually-messy brown hair. "Adora, I...."------------Or Adora, a romance-clueless college student, finds herself at college with her best friends Bow and Glimmer, only to discover that her ex-best friend, Catra, lives right across the hall. Slow burn ensues. Will Adora and Catra be able to mend their relationship...and maybe discover their feelings for each other? Will any of these characters be able to sort out their emotions and get a happy ending?





	1. Day 1

“Hey, Adora.” 

A pair of blue and yellow eyes, paired with a flashlight, gleamed up at Adora from her window. She remembered that night like it was yesterday. It was the summer after seventh grade. She and Catra had spent that summer riding bikes, playing video games, even going on a beach trip together. This was the night Adora had just gotten back from two weeks at horse riding camp with her horse, Swift Wind. 

“Catra, it’s,like, two in the morning.”

Her best friend gave a goofy giggle. “I missed you! Now get me up there. Tie your sheets together or something.”

“Fiiinne. I missed you too.” Adora watched in admiration as Catra nimbly climbed up. They had spent that night catching up on what Adora had missed during the past two weeks, playing board games, and making a promise, a promise that they would never be distant or grow apart...  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The car ride seemed to be taking forever, and Adora played with her blonde ponytail as she reflected upon the past ten years of her friendship with Catra. They used to be practically inseparable and tell each other everything, but in high school, all of a sudden, everything in changed after freshman year. Catra had started acting distant and hyper competitive, like she had to best Adora in everything, from grades to gym class. Her best friend had been replaced by someone who constantly snarked at her and mocked her efforts....what had Adora done to deserve any of that? _Push it aside, Adora._ That didn’t matter now. She had the two best friends anyone could ask for, Glimmer and Bow. They spent practically every weekend together, hung out after school, and were going to Bright Moon College together, and even going to be roommates. She never had to think about Catra again. 

So why did she think so much about Catra’s eyes, or her smirk, or her laugh? Or sometimes Catra would almost forget that they were supposed to be rivals and they’d talk a little bit like old times. It gave Adora a funny feeling in her chest that she had never felt with anyone else. 

Well, whatever. She was almost a real college student now, and needed to push past high school. She had bigger problems to think about, like her major. Political science seemed like the obvious answer for Glimmer, who was in all the government clubs at their old high school. And Bow had always loved technology, so he was entering as a computer science major. Adora wasn’t really sure what she wanted to do with her life. She liked so many different things, from history to languages to working with people. How was she supposed to decide?

 

Well, she didn’t have to figure it all out today. Her car was just starting to pull up to her new dorm. Adora had hardly made inside the door with her boxes before she was tackled in a hug! Adora's face broke into a smile as she saw her best friend, Glimmer Mapatang. 

"Adora, I missed you so much!" Glimmer started taking some of Adora's boxes and leading her down the hallway. "The leadership program was great, and moving in early was also great, but I missed you and Bow, like, every day. I already have so many ideas about how we can make this school better, like by rebuilding the feminist alliance! Bow is coming later tonight and then we can all get dinner together. Here this is our room...." 

 

As Glimmer was getting her key, the door across the hall opened and a tall girl, at least six feet, with a short blonde tuft of hair, winged eyeliner, and black lipstick came out. “Hey you guys must be the other triple on this floor! Do you need help moving anything in? I’m Scorpia, and this is Entrapta.” She gestured towards another girl with big twintails who was focused on a fancy looking technology device, and was taking off her goggles to look at Adora.

“You have big shoulders.” said Entrapta.

“Thanks….?” Adora wasn’t quite sure how to respond. 

The door opened a second time. Those eyes, that fluffy brown hair, narrowed blue and gold eyes, and that damned smirk. 

No.  
It couldn’t be. 

“Hey, Adora”.


	2. Orientation Week

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora gets competitive, Catra gets homesick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone!! Thanks for reading this!! It's mostly just college fluff and exposition right now, but I promise we'll have a good plot soon. and ~flashbacks~. Also please comment!! I'd love to hear any feedback.

The first time she met Catra, Adora was scared. She was eight, and she had always been quiet and shy, and here she was at her first day of after school care, and she was terrified of all the kids she didn't know. When it was time to go out and play, she sat quietly by the steps. 

"Hey, you're new here right? I'm Catra. 

She looked down at the asphalt. "I'm Adora." 

"Do you want to...maybe play together? I'm playing this game I call Beast Island, where you sort of like....here it's easier if we just start....I'm actually the princess of Beast Island and..." 

And every day Adora went after that, she and Catra would play together. Sometimes other people would play with them, but it was always the two of them together. Playing outside, working on homework, playing Battleship, eating snacks.....always together. 

\-----------------------------------------------

“Ugh, I cannot believe Catra!” Adora took a second to take a bite of her pasta. “She always acts so smug, like she’s better than everyone else, like she’s better than me, and….I just wanna wipe that stupid smile off her stupid perfect face!” 

“Hey, we’re gonna be so busy this week that you won’t even have time to think about Catra.” Bow gestured to the booklet in his lap. “Plus, look at all these orientation week activities! There’s an improv comedy show, an acapella night….” 

“Just...it wouldn’t even bother me if she wasn’t so pretty, you know? Like when she smiles and her tooth sits there….or how bouncy her hair is….like what’s up with that?” 

Bow and Glimmer shared a look. 

“I mean, we’re also going to have classes, and we’re gonna be so busy with those.” Glimmer said. “I bet you’ll hardly ever even see Catra.” 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seriously? 

Adora sat in her chair during day one of Ancient Languages class. And in front of her….was Catra. 

“What’s wrong, Adora? Afraid you’ll fail and I’ll get an A?”

“I wasn’t thinking anything like that.”

“Please.” Catra scoffed “I can read every emotion on your face.” 

“Well, I hope you can read the emotion about how I have actual friends now who don’t act like pricks.” 

Catra paused, running a hand through her hair. “Adora, I…” 

The professor, Dr. Hope, entered the room, and class began to start. As Adora took notes on vocabulary, she stared at the girl next her. Why was Catra so mean? But it’s not like Catra was the first mean person Adora had ever faced, so why did it bother her so much? And even when Catra was being difficult, Adora would get all weird and red-faced…

“Adora.” Dr. Hope’s voice shook her out of her thoughts. “Could you read for us what this word says on the board?”

“Um….destiny?” 

“That is correct.” The look on Catra’s face made it all worth it, and Adora suddenly felt more sure of herself than she had in a long time. Adora genuinely loved this class, and had read all she could about it over the summer. Catra wanted to make everything into a competition? Then let her. Beat her at her own game, and then she’d fail when she got too wrapped up in her feelings and ego. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------  
“Glimmer, have you like….slept in the past two days?” Adora returned from the gym to her dorm to find a frazzled looking Glimmer working on an enormous cork board with post it notes all over it. 

“I mean, like five hours total, but I should be fine, right?” Glimmer took a big sip of coffee. “I’m just have so many ideas about the feminist alliance! We can maybe have a march, some events in the student center, maybe a book club…I’m presenting to the Dean of students at some point...how was the gym?”

“It was pretty fun. They’re offering kickboxing classes and those look pretty cool.”

 

“ I wonder if they have anything for archery there.” Bow was sitting cross legged with his laptop. “I kind of wanted to keep up with it in college...but I’m also so excited for Dungeons and Dragons club to start! Meet Bow Jr.” He lifted up a tiny minature. “He’s a level six ranger with animal friendship as his spell.” 

Adora was trying to listen to her friends, but she could also hear a noise from the floor’s lounge. Was that….crying?  
“OK, I will be right back.” She quietly moved to the lounge, catching what sounded like crying, and what looked like a person wrapped in a burrito of blankets.Was that….

“Catra, are you ok?” She hadn’t seen Catra cry...ok, well not ever, but at least not in three years.

“What are you doing here?” Catra looked up at her with tear filled eyes. “I’m fine, go away.” 

“You’re clearly not fine.” Adora couldn’t just let her former best friend cry alone. “Do you want to talk about it? Do you want me to get Scorpia or Entrapta?”

“No, Scorpia will just try to hug me and make me meditate and Entrapta will probably try to dissect my tears. And it’s a … dumb problem anyways. You wouldn’t get it.” 

“Well, I’m here for you anyways.” Adora gingerly placed a hand on Catra’s shoulder. Surprisingly, it wasn’t pushed away. 

“I’m just...homesick. I guess.” 

“That’s ok. I think everyone feels that here. It’s a big change.” 

Catra looked up and locked eyes with her. “....thank you. I know I can be prickly, or a douche sometimes, and I’m trying to be better and I know you of all people don’t deserve that. Like even now….” 

 

“Catra…” Adora bit her lip, unsure of what to say. “I just, I just want to know why….”

A sound of metal clattering and Entrapta screaming from the communal kitchen suddenly broke the moment.  
“Goddddd, why are my roommates such disasters?” Catra whined as she marched down to the kitchen, Adora following behind. 

“Oh, hey Catra!” Scorpia cheerfully acted like nothing was wrong as they entered the smoke filled kitchen. “We knew you were…..uhm…..not feeling well...so we tried to make cookies but some stuff happened and some cookie dough got on Emily, Entrapta’s robot, but she’s fine now, I think? Also not all of them are burned! ” 

“Scorpia, did you disable the smoke detector?” Catra paused to take a cookie. “These actually look ok though. Thanks, I guess.” 

Scorpia pointedly ignored her question and turned towards Adora. “Adora, do you and your roommates want cookies too? I think we could all be friends, er….” She noticed the scowl on Catra’s face. “Or friendly acquaintances?” 

Adora looked from Scorpia with her tray, to Entrapta who was on the ceiling trying to reassemble the smoke detector, to Catra who was trying to scowl while eating a cookie, and smiled. 

“I’d like that.”


	3. September II

“Catra!” Entrapta excitedly looked up from her machines as Catra entered the dorm. “I believe have deciphered a solution to your conundrum.” 

“I had a conundrum?” Catra tilted her head. 

“Well last night you were crying because you ‘sounded like an idiot in front of Adora’”. Over the past two months I have been analyzing whenever you talk about Adora using a machine language algorithm….”

“Entrapta, that’s, like, a huge privacy violation.” 

“And combined with your elevated heart rate and facial heat, I have deciphered that you are in love! Specifically, with Adora.” Entrapta’s twintails almost look heart shaped.

Catra furrowed her eyebrows. 

In love. 

With Adora.

As much as Catra hated to admit it, Adora was brave and stood up for what she believed in. She was kind and earnest….and she had pretty blonde hair and ice blue eyes and….that’s why in high school, she and Adora had stopped being friends, because...because...

“Now is when you say ‘thank you’!” Entrapta chimed. 

“Are you crazy? I’m not going to thank you!” Catra could feel her heart racing, and she couldn't help but be angry at the pink haired girl. “First of all, Adora and I are rivals. That’s why I get this way when I talk about her. Secondly, I’m not in love with her because we’re ex-best friends, and I’m also not gay! You might be a genius but you don’t get to decide my sexuality for me!” 

Entrapta seemed unfazed, while anyone else probably would have been upset. Catra internally sighed. 

“Is your outburst primarily because you and Adora are both women?” 

 

“No! I mean….I mean there’s a lot of reasons why I’m angry, but I’m not even interested in women!” 

Entrapta seemed lost in thought. “Hmm….social science has never been my strongest suit. Perhaps you should talk to Scorpia? She is more suited to social interactions….”

“No, I’m not telling Scorpia, and you’re not telling Scorpia. She’s been out since she was in middle school, she would never understand what I’m going through. I’m not in love with Adora and even if I was, hypothetically speaking, that doesn’t make me…..”

A sharp rap on the door interrupted the two girls. Catra opened the door with a frown to a tall girl with deep red hair, glasses, and bright green eyes.  
“Whaddya want?”  
“Oh, you must be Entrapta’s roommate! I’m Emmeryn, Entrapta and I are going to study together…” The girl seemed a little offput by Catra’s frown and she tried to act less upset. 

“Come on in, Emmeryn, I have everything all set up for us!” 

“UGH, you guys are staying here? ” Catra could just about scream! Now she wouldn’t even have her room to sort out her feelings in. “I’m going out.” She slammed the door on her way out. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
Catra had a plan. She was going to go for a walk, cool her head, come back to her room, get ready, and then go out to a party. It was a Thursday night, there had to be something going on. And she would find some handsome guy and then she would flirt with him...and then...and then...and she’d enjoy that, because she was totally straight. 

If she did like girls….she had gay friends, she didn’t have a problem with gay people. But she had expectations, her family had expectations, everybody had expectations. Go to college, find a lucrative career, marry some guy, settle down, have some kids….

And then she passed by the school cafe. And there was Adora. She looked so frazzled, with books strewn around her table, nervously chewing on a pen. 

This only reaffirmed Catra’s belief that some cosmic force was out to get her. 

“Hey, Adora. Do you….need help?” She stared at the ground and shuffled her feet. 

“Wait, are you actually asking me, like, in a serious way?”

“I mean, I might be able to help you….if you wanted?” 

Adora took another sip of her coffee. “Actually, I could really use some help with bio! Oh, but if you help me, I’ll buy you some food! It can be a whole thing.” 

“I’m great at bio, so I can definitely help you. Let me just get a chair….”

They must have been at that cafe for hours. And to Catra, it felt like heaven, though she didn’t try to think about how it was actually because Adora was sitting next to her and laughing at her lame puns. It was because she was just happy to spend time with an old friend. That was totally all it was. Every time their hands brushed, she tried not to feel the tightness in her chest. Because Adora needed her. And that’s what mattered.


	4. October

“We look so cute.” Each Halloween, the best friends squad dressed up in a themed trio outfit,and this year was no different. Bow was bread, Adora was peanut butter and Glimmer was jelly. “Say cheese, everyone!” Glimmer pulled out her phone and took a picture of the three of them. “And this party tonight is going to be soooo fun!!” 

Adora nodded but inside she didn’t know if this party was going to be quite as stress free as Glimmer was imagining. She had seen Catra leave earlier in a sexy vampire costume that had made her blush. But she had made up her mind. Tonight, she was going to press Catra for what had been causing the distance between them. She was done wondering what she had done, and ready for answers.  
———————————-  
Catra had called her lame earlier, but Scorpia didn’t particularly care. The past two weeks had been making her so stressed out, and she was ready to take the night off and relax, Halloween or no Halloween. Entrapta was off at an engineering conference, so Scorpia had the room all to herself. Which meant....she was lonely.

Maybe she’d go to the lounge. What she wasn’t expecting was that someone else would be there. The girl looked up from her laptop and pushed up her glasses.

“Oh, you’re Entrapta’s....other roommate, right?” 

“Yep, that’s...that’s me. I honestly wasn’t expecting to see anyone else here tonight.”

“ I have to plan my next DnD session for my players. I want to make it extra spooky in the spirit of the season.” 

“Well, um, do you want to take a break and play a board game or something?”

Emmeryn’s green eyes lit up. “Absolutely. I have like, six, in my room. Come along, you can pick.”

———————————-

God, this costume was hard to move in.

“Adoraa, where are you going?” Glimmer had two pumpkin spice shots and was starting to slur her words. She handed Adora a shot. 

“I have to talk to someone about something important, ok? Where’s Bow?” Adora took the shot. She needed to calm her nerves.

“Are you guys seriously peanut butter and jelly? How lame can you get?” Oh look, Catra came to her.

“Hey, we also have bread!” Glimmer claimed indignantly. 

“Catra, I actually wanted to talk to you about something serious....”

“Ugh, now you’ve never heard of a party before? People come here to have fun not to.....oh my god!!” 

“Glimmer!” Adora cried. Glimmer had wandered off to the trash can and was currently getting sick. She heard Bow rush down the stairs as she called Glimmer’s name.

“Okay, we’re gonna take Glimmer home....” Bow carefully put his arm around Glimmer. 

Adora looked up at Bow with pleading eyes. “Actually, is it....ok if I stay here? I can stay with Catra.”

“We’re doing what now?” Catra took a sip of her drink.

“Well.....ok but text us like every half hour. And call an Uber to get home.” 

“So Catra....” Adora struggled to find the words. Why was her tongue all tied up? “Actually, I think I want another drink first....”  
—————————

Somehow, agreeing to play one board game with this girl had turned into a whole evening. Chinese food boxes and soda cans lay next to them on the table at Emmeryn and Scorpia sat next to each other talking on the lounge’s couch, Emmeryn’s shoulder length red hair ever so slightly touching Scorpia’s shoulder. “So that’s the story of how I became a makeup artist for all the theater clubs here.” Emmeryn giggled slightly, and she covered her mouth when she laughed. That was kind of cute. 

Talking with this girl...she was pretty different from Scorpia’s other friends. Reserved, laid back...but talking to her, you realized that there was so much in her mind. Scorpia internally sighed. Was she developing yet another crush? They had literally just met today. 

“....and that’s why I should do your makeup! I mean I like how you normally do your makeup but I think it would be fun, because you’re really pretty...”

“Pretty? Me?” Scorpia hadn’t....usually been called pretty. Usually she was just “big” or “tall”. 

“You sounds kind of shocked.” 

“It’s just not....something I’m super used to hearing. But like, for the record...” She composed herself. “....I think you’re really pretty too.” 

The girl bit her lip and looked away. Her fingers subconsciously touched light scarring on the side of her face. “Oh my god...I mean,I’m gonna be honest,between acne scarring, crooked teeth...I always kind of look like the before picture of every makeover. But you think...” 

“I do.” Their eyes locked, and Scorpia couldn’t imagine herself ever looking away.  
—————————

What had she done to have to deal with a drunk Adora? Catra sighed as the blonde girl tugged at her arm.  
“Catraaa.....” 

“Why are you like this? How much alcohol did you even have?” 

Catra had never seen Adora get all loopy like this before.

“You’re so funny! But....but you’re mean.” Adora’s eyes got as big as saucers.

Catra scoffed. “Whatever.” 

“Catra, let’s go outside!” Adora suddenly made a dash for the door. 

“Oh no, you don’t!” But Catra was too late. Adora was outside on the lawn.

“I got you a leaf. Because you’re realllllllyyy pretty and you’re my best friend.” Adora pressed the leaf into Catra’s hand, leaned forward, and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“H-hey! You can’t just do that.” Catra felt her face getting hot.

Adora’s eyes got big again. “Wait! That’s why....that’s why we weren’t friends before. Because.....because I was at your house and you were at my house and....and we kissed. And then after that you got alllllll mean!! Why did you do that? I thought you liiiiiked me....” Adora gazed off into the distance.

“Well, what was I supposed to do? I was protecting you Adora! What would our families have thought? What would everyone at school have thought? What would....” Catra trailed off, realization on her face. “Why am I even arguing with you....you’re so drunk you’re not gonna remember any of this in the morning. Come on, I’ll take you home.”  
———————————  
She woke up the next morning, and remembered everything.


	5. November I

_Don't._ Don't think about Catra, don't think about her cute tooth fang when she smiles. Don't think about the massive crush you used to have on her. Don't think about the fact that you are a total idiot, and that you two kissed, and that ruined your friendship.

Don't think about the fact that she might have loved you back.

Don't think about how you feel about her now, and how doing anything about that might break up the tenuous rivalry /friendship thing you have going on there. Keep your head down, focus on school, focus on other activities, like trying out for the Ultimate Frisbee team, which you're literally at, right now.

A tall girl with flowers in her hair and long blonde hair now stood facing the group. "Alright, everyone, I know tryouts can be stressful so we're going to start with some gentle breathing. Breathe in, hold, one-two-three...." 

Ugh, deep breathing? 

Hah, that sounds like something Catra would say. Oh look, there she is now.

Wait, what? 

Breathless, Catra just about sprints onto the field, and joins the line...right next to Adora. "I'msosorryI'mlate!" 

"Oh, it's no problem. Now, we must properly warm up. Let's start with some nice, slow, stretching." As they started to stretch, Catra whispered to Adora, "What's up, princess? Surprised to see me? Or did I just take your precious place on the team away?" 

"Oh, it's on." Adora grinned. 

Zig zagging through cones, throwing drills, running laps, scrimmages.... the tryouts went on and on. Surprisingly, Adora was actually enjoying herself. It was amusing to see the look on Catra's face as the two women tried to best each other in each new element of tryouts. Also....kind of attractive? Wait, no....

"Alright everyone!" Perfuma clapped her hands together. "That is actually a club sport and there are no cuts, so I don't know why some of you were getting so competitive, but, yay! Welcome to the team." 

"Hey, you....you weren't half bad out there." Catra gave Adora a sort-of-awkward handshake. "Do you want to maybe get food?" 

"Sure." Adora smiled. What they had now, was good wasn't it? Then why did she want to tell Catra how she felt? It would ruin everything.  
\---------------------------------------------------  
"So now we're teammates!" Catra was sprawled on her bed. "I have to see her like three times a week! Her and her stupid dumb ponytail and her stupid blue eyes...." 

"Are you....okay?" Entrapta looked over from her mechanical engineering project on her laptop. "Is this because you're having trouble accepting your sexuality? I have acquired several resources for you including....." 

"Entrapta. I'm. not. attracted. to. Adora." 

"Are we talking about Catra's weird relationship with Adora again? I actually need some advice..." Scorpia walked into the room holding a few outfits. "I'm going on a date...actually it's a friend hangout but I'm still nervous...and what should I wear? "

Entrapta's twintail wrapped around an outfit. "I like this one!" 

Catra looked up from where her face had been smushed in her pillow. "Scorpia, first off, I agree with Entrapta with the whole outfit thing. Second, I need help." 

"Oh, of course! What's up?"

"Um...uh..." Catra felt her face turning red. Catra had known Scorpia was a lesbian since they met, but they had never like.....talked about it. 

"Her burgeoning sexuality!" Entrapta announced proudly, like she had anything to do with it. 

"Yeah. That." Catra smushed her face into the pillow again.


	6. November II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Thanks for reading. If you're enjoying this story, also check out my other ongoing story, Hearts Beat Loud! Also there's a lot of Scorpia in this chapter, because I love her, and also that's how the pacing worked out.

_"Ew, she's so ugly. "_

Stop it. 

_"Our school sucks and you know why? Because girls that look like her go here."_

Get out of my head, get out of my head.....

She was twelve again, and someone was proposing to her on the playground, because it was just so funny, the idea of someone proposing to Emmeryn. She heard the whispers.... _"Ew, who would ever want to marry that thing?"_

"..who would want to marry that thing?" It had always stuck with her, never faded as the other taunts had. A forever reminder that girls like Emmeryn, they didn't get to fall in love or have a happy ending. So she tried with all her might to do things that didn't involve love or her own appearance in any way. And it worked, kind of. She had even gone to college and made friends, Entrapta through class, Bow through DnD, then through them Glimmer, and Adora, and even Catra....

and Scorpia. Pretty, close to perfect, Scorpia with her adorable midwestern accent. Scorpia who was always friendly, earnest, always eager to please and help, but who had, for whatever reason, been friends specifically with her, and called her pretty and now they were going to hang out off campus......and Emmeryn was falling for her, hard. And it hurt. Why did she have to fall for someone so amazing, when she was so....her? 

\----------------------------------------------------------  
"Hey, it's okay. We're gonna work out whatever is bothering you." Scorpia said to Catra. The smaller girl looked close to tears and it really bothered Scorpia to see one of her closest friends so upset. 

Catra pretty much collapsed in her chair at the dining hall. "I think I......" She chewed her lip. "I like girls...but I don't want to, I don't want to be gay."

"I mean, it's not as easy as being straight, for sure, but we can go over what fears or misconceptions you have. There's books if you want, support groups...we can take this at whatever pace makes you comfortable." 

"I don't want to do anything about it, I want my feelings to go away! I want to just be like everyone else, and just marry some guy, and....and...but I don't even find men attractive, so what am I supposed to do?" Hot tears ran down her face. "I know I must sound so weak right now...but just, I don't even know the first thing about how to date girls, and what if girls don't find me as attractive as guys do? And then there's telling my parents, telling my friends from back home..."

"Catra, you're not weak for feeling the way you do. I promise that every single LGBT person out there has had some of the same feelings as you." 

"...how are things with your parents?"

Scorpia gave a weak, bitter, smile. "We don't talk, really." 

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know...."

"I mean, they didn't disown me or anything like that. They just... don't understand how much their words hurt. They think they're helping, and they're only pushing me away. But it's not...it's not a big deal. Entrapta's also staying here for Thanksgiving, so it's fine that I'm not going home. We made reservations at a local place she likes." 

"You could have told me." 

"To be honest, I kind of didn't tell you because I knew you had a crush on Adora in the past, and I didn't want to make you more scared of coming out than you already are. Because like, yeah, being gay can be super rough....but there's also a whole community of support." 

"Okay, well, over winter break, you can definitely come and stay with me, if you want to. And I don't want you to feel like you can't tell me things, because you're my friend and I care about you more than I would worry about myself." Catra said. 

"I'm sorry, I know that hearing about my parents probably wasn't what you wanted to hear...." 

"You don't have to apologize! Look, it's definitely going to take me a while to come to terms with myself, but I know I always have you and Entrapta." She thought over the past few months. "And even Adora, Bow, and Glimmer probably wouldn't care....who cares what my high school friends think? And I can..I can start to work on the other stuff, eventually."  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Hey, Catra." Adora playfully tapped the shorter girl on the shoulder. But when she turned around with her piercing blue and gold eyes, Adora started to get that swoopy stomach feeling again. 

"Adora, heyyyyy....." Catra scritched the back of her neck. 

"I actually kind of wanted to talk about something with you...."

"Adora, I think I'm a lesbian! There, I said it." The words tumbled too quickly out of Catra's mouth.

Why did that make Adora feel so happy and light inside....? 

"I mean that's not really what I came to talk to you about it, but I'm....I'm a lesbian too." Adora couldn't meet her former best friend in the eyes. 

"You...you are?" Catra sounded a little too excited, but Adora could just have been imagining it. 

"I mean, I've known since I was sixteen, but I've only ever told Glimmer and Bow. They've both been really supportive. Look, I was thinking about what happened between us when I was younger. I kind of had a crush on you, and we did kiss, that one time. And then we pushed each other away for two years. But, but...." 

She had no idea how to read the expression on Catra's face.

"We can move past it now!" Every word she spoke was chosen with uncertainty. "We can....just go back to being friends, good friends, like we used to. Because I never want us to cut each other out of our lives again. We can just pretend none of that other stuff ever happened, because I value your friendship."

An awkward silence hung between them. 

"I thought we were moving past it, but sure, I'll officially agree to be friends with you again. As long as we can kind of keep that rival thing we have going?" She leaned in close, and Adora's heart was racing. "I still can't wait to kick your ass on the Ancient Languages final." 

"Hah, you wish. I have like....a 98 in that class." _She's hot when she's competitive. Wait, no...._

If they were going to be friends again, why did Adora feel like crying? Why did her words feel hollow? Why did her heart feel like it was breaking inside?  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Oh my god, this town is adorable! I can't believe I've never been here before." Scorpia expertly parallel parked as they reached the small town that they had planned their hangout in. Emmeryn didn't really drive, so she thought it was....actually super attractive that Scorpia was such a good driver. 

Well, she thought everything about Scorpia was attractive.

They hadn't made any grand plans, so they mostly just walked around town, stopping in the small boutiques and looking at clothes and makeup, getting some bubble tea (Scorpia's reaction to trying it for the first time was positively adorable), and eventually made their way to the bookshop. It was there, in a secluded spot behind the nonfiction section that Emmeryn told Scorpia what had been weighing on her mind. 

"Scorpia, I....I heard about your parents from Entrapta. I don't think she meant to, but she mentioned Thanksgiving and I sort of figured out the pieces and...I mean no one deserves any of that, but you're just such an amazing person, and you're always so sweet in spite of everything you've been through, and just..." She instinctively threw her arms around Scorpia, and then wondered what she was doing, but Scorpia was hugging her back! 

"Thank you." They stayed in that position for what felt like hours, Scorpia's chin delicately resting on Emmeryn's head, Emmeryn's head on Scorpia's chest. They eventually broke apart, but Scorpia's hands stayed wrapped around Emmeryn's waist, Emmeryn's hands on Scorpia's shoulders. She could just about kiss her right now.

"If you ever need anything at all, I'm here, and I'll help you in any way I can. Just let me know." Emmeryn's fingers gently ran down Scorpia's toned shoulders and arms, and their hands ended up brushing for a bit longer than expected. Emmeryn felt her face heat up.

"Of course." Scorpia's smile could probably bring world peace, Emmeryn thought to herself.

They spent some time wandering around the bookshop, mentioning whenever they saw a book they had previously read. Their hands brushed as they walked side by side in the aisles, perhaps a bit more than she would have with any other person. And whenever she managed to make Scorpia laugh, that was probably the best feeling in the world. As the sun streamed through a window, illuminating the bookstore, Emmeryn felt....weirdly hopeful, more hopeful than she had in a long time.  
_Maybe, just maybe, all my dreams will come true._


	7. December/January

Adora and Bow patiently waited for Glimmer's last final, Microeconomics, to finish up. For the past two weeks, the trio had been studying, getting late night snacks, and just generally supporting each other. And after she finished, they would be done with their very first semester of college! Adora felt like it had really flew by. She still hadn't decided on a major yet, but she had been working with her advisor, Dr. Light Hope, to make a schedule that would fulfill her general education requirements so that she wouldn't be behind when she did find a major that she wanted. She had done a lot this first semester, between classes, new friends, Ultimate Frisbee, helping Glimmer, Netossa, and Spinnerella with the Feminist Alliance, even joining a club that went to the local middle school and helped girls gain confidence and health and fitness skills through running. 

"Aaaaa, I'm done!!!" Glimmer whispered excitiedly as she was the first one to exit the final. "I think that went really well!"

"Guys, we're done with finals!" Bow said and the group pulled each other in for a tight hug. After what seemed like an eternity, they had finally finished finals! 

"I think this calls for some sort of celebration." 

"Can there be food?" Adora asked.

So they wound up at a tiny little restaurant off campus, Adora digging into a big plate of chocolate chip pancakes. 

"Oh, look, there's Netossa, Spinnerella, and Perfuma! Hey, come sit with us!" Glimmer waved them over and soon their little group had expanded. 

They chatted excitedly about winter break plans and what was going on when they all moved back in late January, when Adora felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. 

"Hey, can we sit with you guys?" She turned around and there was Emmeryn, with Entrapta, Scorpia, and of course...Catra. Why did Catra look so cute? Why did she always look so adorable..

"O-oh, of course! Let me get you guys some chairs, and we can move in to make room." The way it ended up, Catra had sat right next to Adora, and Adora tried to ignore the feeling in her heart every time their legs brushed. Stop being weird about it, you two are just friends.

 

For a few seconds, with snow gently falling on the windowpane, everyone laughing and talking....Adora wished things could stay this way forever and ever. They wouldn't, of course, but she could dream. And why wouldn't they? Because she looked over at Catra, her pointed canines showing as she laughed, and knew at that moment.....

 _I'm in love with Catra._

\-------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Ugh, Glimmer is so lucky that she gets to go to Hawaii for New Years." Adora glanced at her phone where Glimmer had posted a picture of her and her cousins on a beach with a caption, "Manigong bagong taón!" Bow was also on vacation, in California, visiting some of his older siblings. Which left just Adora, walking the streets of her city alone at 5pm on New Years Eve. Her city had a lot of free events on New Years, and she usually went to them with her parents, but her parents were both away on business trips this year. She brushed it off, she could go to the events by herself. 

But maybe she wouldn't have to go alone, because in the distance, she saw.....

"Catra, what are you doing here?"

"Hey, Adora. I mean, I'm just walking around." She shrugged

"Maybe we could walk around....together?" 

"We can, if you really want to." 

"We could...uhm" She fumbled with the activities guide and read the first thing her eyes settled ".....go on a free historical tour?"

"What are we, seventy?" Catra laughed. "Hmmm....ice skating sounds fun."

"Okay!" They made their way to the park. Adora playfully nudged Catra. "Are you still upset that we both got an A in Ancient Languages?"

"Nah, we're both taking Ancient Languages II next semester, so we can continue the competition then." Catra grinned.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
"Catra, have you ever been ice skating before?" 

"Yeah....totally!" Catra stood with her hands so tightly gripped onto the railing they were going to leave a mark. "Okay, but maybe it was a really long time ago...."

"Here, I'll help you, grab my hands." Catra hesitantly grabbed Adora's hand, and Adora started slowly leading her around the rink.

"I'm doing it, I'm kind of skating!" Catra was adorable when she got like this, Adora thought to herself.   
\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
They wandered around the city together, went to a free local comedy show, and eventually wound up at a small restaurant that was playing live jazz music. _This is kind of like a date._ She couldn't help but entertain that thought.  
"....so that's when I realized medicine was fascinating and that I wanted to become a doctor." Catra finished her explanation.

"Catra, that's so cool. I'm sure you're going to become a great doctor one day."

"Oh....thanks. And I know you don't 100% know what you want to do yet, but I'm sure you'll also be great at whatever you decide." She looked up at Adora with those mesmerizing eyes of hers.

"Oh, the fireworks are starting soon!" They paid, left the restaurant, and then made their way close to where the fireworks were going to go off. The city was so beautiful at night, Adora realized. 

"Ugh, there's like, throngs of people. Here." Catra stuck out her hand. "So...so we don't get separated."

Adora took it, Catra's hand felt so soft and warm in her own. 

As the fireworks went off, Adora and Catra stood close together, their hands still intertwined. Catra's smile as she looked up at the fireworks was, well, positively adorable. As the fireworks wrapped up, the countdown started.

"....three....."

The two women faced each other expectantly. Would they kiss on the cheek, the forehead, or maybe they'd just give each other a hug, as Adora had done on previous New Years with Bow and Glimmer.

"two...."

Catra licked her lips. Their eyes locked and Adora knew....

"....one. Happy New Year!" 

Their lips crashed into each other, and they kissed, soft and sweet. After only a moment, they broke apart. It should have ended there. Just a simple New Years Kiss. That's it, right?

And then they kissed again, harder, more passionate, like she needed Catra in order to breathe. Catra ran a hand through her blonde hair as their mouths opened slightly and their tongues brushed against each other. They pulled apart after what seemed like an eternity, a knowing look in both of their eyes that nothing would ever be quite the same between them again. As much as they tried to hide it or deny it, there would only ever be an "after" from this point on.


	8. February I

“.....so, you two kissed? Have you talked at all since then?” Glimmer, Bow, and Adora sat together on her bed as Adora filled them about the events that had transpired over that New Year’s. 

Adora scratched the back of her neck. “Well, we’ve texted a little bit since then. But we haven’t really talked about what happened, or the kiss, or any of it. Just....everything is so awkward between us now. I shouldn't have kissed her...I'm such an idiot.”

"Hey, don't talk about yourself that way." Bow put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "There's obviously something between you too, but you should just talk to her."  
\-----------------------------------------------  
Catra flopped down onto her bed. "Ugh, now everything is so awkward between us, and it's all my fault for kissing her."

Scorpia looked up from her anatomy textbook. "Have you ever considered that maybe it's not as awkward as you think? Try talking things out with her." 

"....but communication is hard for me." Catra stared off into space and played with her blanket. She noticed the chemistry book propped on the edge of her bed, and pushed it off, enjoying the sound of the thud as it hit the floor. "And I just.....I keep working so hard, and it's not enough. I worked so hard last semester, on chemistry and biology and calculus....and I still don't feel any closer to my goals." Her dream was so uncertain, 

"Hey, it's okay. I know how hard you work, and it must feel frustrating for you, but you're sti" Scorpia gently squeezed Catra's hand. Three years ago, she had met Scorpia at a pre-health program for high schoolers. She was there for medicine, as always, and Scorpia had been there for physical therapy. There was probably no one else who understood how much Catra wanted this. 

The door creaked open. "It's ten days till Valentine's day!!!" Entrapta had put her twintails into hearts. 

"Aren't you taking, like, twenty credits? How are you not dead inside?" Catra stared at Entrapta from the upside down position of her bed. 

"Well, multivariable calculus is pretty easy, and I'm excited for all the discount candy! Also, there's gonna be a free event where we can make plushies! Don't you two have like, actual relationships? Shouldn't you be more excited?"

"Yeah, Scorpia, when are you and Emmeryn gonna get married already?" Catra playfully smirked. 

"It's not like that...yet, anyways."

"And here I thought you were like, queen of the gays." 

"If I tell her how I feel, will you stop being a baby and talk things out with Adora?"

Damn, Scorpia also knew she could never resist a challenge. 

"Fine. It's a deal."

\-------------------------------------------------

The chilly wind whipped around Emmeryn's dark red hair as she walked back to her dorm after rehearsal, when she spotted a familiar figure in the distance. 

"Scorpia, did you....run out here to meet me?"  
She smiled. "Maybe." Scorpia's heart was pounding inside, but she couldn't let Emmeryn know that. But she had given her word that she would tell the redhead about her feelings, so she would.  
"Hey, I know this is pretty random, but.....I actually...have a crush on you."  
Emmeryn didn't say anything at first, but one of her hands intertwined with Scorpia's own, while her other hand covered her mouth, like when she laughed. Her eyes were wide with emotion.  
"Oh my God, this is actually happening...I'm so happy."  
Scorpia's arms wrapped around Emmeryn in a tight hug, almost lifting her off the ground. Scorpia's dark brown eyes, outlined by sharp jet-black eyeliner, gazed into Emmeryn's green ones,outlined by soft rectangular glasses. _She really shows every emotion in her eyes, doesn't she?_ They didn't need to say another word. As Emmeryn's lips met hers, Scorpia tasted the sweetness of her lips, but also the wetness and salt of tears dripping down her face. Tears of happiness, but also of someone who never thought she could be this happy. 

She already knew she would do anything to protect this girl, to make her happy, to push past their pasts, together.

\-------------------------------------------------  
"Hey, Adora." Catra attempted to drape herself seductively across the doorframe. _I can't believe Scorpia locked me out of my room until I came over and talked to Adora._

"Oh...hey, Catra! Do you want some food? Glimmer's mom sent some Kare Kare stew." 

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something important." 

Adora smiled. "Oh, how the tables have turned. Remember that night I got wasted and tried to run outside at a party?"

Catra carefully reached forwards and pushed back a lock of Adora's light blonde hair. "I remember."

"Catra, we can't keep denying our feelings like this...." Adora gently shut the door as the two found themselves in a deep kiss. 

"Mm...." Catra was too busy running her hands through Adora's hair to really respond. They broke away from each other, and Catra found herself staring into Adora's mesmerizing grey-blue eyes. "Adora, you're just, incredible." 

She blushed and looked away. "Catra, I...this is all I've ever wanted." 

Catra wasn't sure why she didn't respond. She could have told Adora about all the feelings she had felt about her, practically since the day she had met her. She could have asked Adora to be her girlfriend,probably. 

Suddenly, a series of images flashed in her head. A door slam, a car screech.

Adora was incredible. But Catra...was guarded. She had never been unpopular, but she had always felt...alone, in a way that even Adora or Scorpia or Entrapta, could never reach. It had always just been her. Before she had met Adora, she had learned to trust no one. And she....she didn't know if anyone could break those walls, and then the people she cared about most would only get more hurt. 

Adora pulled her in for another kiss, and Catra could feel those walls start to come down a little. They wouldn't crash down like a wave, but maybe they were being pulled apart, brick by brick.


	9. March

"Okay...let's refresh it one more time....." Glimmer chewed on her nail as Bow and Adora waited with her. 

They stood behind the laptop in silence.

"Accepted! Glimmer, you made it!" Bow exclaimed, as Glimmer still stood awe-struck.

"Oh my God, I made it! Guys, studying abroad in Geneva is going to be so awesome! I mean, it's huge for my career, I'll get to intern with Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, not to mention skiing and castles, and chocolate... " 

"I'm so happy for you! You have to take a ton of pictures for us " Adora was excited for Glimmer, but also surprised at how much things had changed in the past year. Now Glimmer was studying abroad, Bow had gotten a research experience in computer science, even Adora had sort of figured out her major. She ended up really liking biology last semester, and she also liked kids, so for now she was going to declare a biology education major. 

At least some things never changed.......  
\-----------------------------------------------------  
"Ugh, this bus ride is taking forever...we're going like 30 miles an hour down the highway." 

"Catra, it is a free trip from the school, what did you expect?" Adora playfully rolled her eyes at her complaining companion. A lot had changed in her relationship with Catra too, but now it seemed like back to where they were when they were younger. Except a bit better about their feelings, she guessed. 

"It's our first official date, I wanted everything to be perfect."

"Wow, if the dining hall could hear you right now, it'd be pretty upset that you didn't consider going to it a date." 

When they finally arrived at their destination, Adora's mouth dropped open. They were in the middle of the city, on this elevated walkway that was also a garden. You could see the whole city, but also be surrounded by flowers.   
"Oh my God, it's so beautiful here!!"   
"We went here when I went to this conference in high school, and I always wanted to take you to it. So when I saw the student union was offering a trip to it, I knew it would be a great offical first date...." Catra blushed.  
"Really?"  
"Really." Their hands intertwined. 

As they made their way through the park, Adora took a look at the beautiful woman she was holding hands with. Catra was the only person she'd felt this way about, and probably the only one she ever would. These past six months (had it only been six months since college started?) they had confronted their feelings, and now they were....dating. She was sure they would probably face new problems in their lives, and things wouldn't stay this amazing forever, but she wanted a happy ending with Catra, and she would do anything for it, even if she had to fight for it, even if she had to hold her breath and wait out anything that could happen. Because....

"Catra, I love you." 

Catra's gold and blue catlike eyes widened. "I.....Adora, I love you too. I always have."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all my lovely readers! Thank you so much for reading, subscribing to, commenting on, giving kudos to, or bookmarking my very first fanfiction! You may have noticed that this is part one of a series! You'll get to see more of these characters' college years (and relationships) in my future works. Thank you again for all the support you have given, and I hope to be able to continue to provide stories that you all enjoy.  
> -starlightdaydreams


	10. Summer I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this was originally a separate sequel work but I decided to combine them because why not?

There were times that Adora felt like the luckiest person in the world, and now was one of those times. After weeks of studying and more studying, she had finally finished her finals, and with it, freshman year of college. Her friends had all found a long weekend that they were free, and had decided to plan a beach trip to celebrate a successful freshman year. She was currently in the car with Glimmer, Bow, Mermista, and of course, Catra. Perhaps the thing she was happiest about was the shorter brunette girl leaning against her shoulder. After years of awkwardly dancing around their feelings, they had finally started dating about three months ago.

"Catra, are you...studying? We literally just finished with school."

"Okay, I know it sounds lame, but I want to be super prepared for organic chemistry next semester. I know a lot of pre-meds really struggled with it."

Adora put a hand on top of Catra's,noticing her hands were carefully painted with black nail polish. "I admire that you work really hard."

"Oh my God, are we becoming that corny couple?" Catra playfully rolled her eyes as she intertwined her hand with Adora's.

From the front seat, Glimmer turned to Mermista. "We cannot thank you enough for driving."

"Well, I was coming anyways. If you want a tour or a surfing lesson or to ride on Sea Hawk's boat, just text me. Although I'm not held liable if his boat crashes, or goes on fire."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Catra!" Catra was quickly swept off her feet into a bear hug by Scorpia. "Oh my God, it's so pretty here! And there's so many boats, I love it. AND I saw a seagull!"

"There's also so much history here, I'm excited." Emmeryn, Scorpia's girlfriend, got out of Scorpia's car and adjusted her glasses. "We could visit a museum, oh, and we could go to a historical house and have tea!"

"I've also made some progress on my latest artificial intelligence experiment! I told these two about it for the entire three hour car ride, but I could also tell you!" One of Entrapta's twintails wrapped around Catra's arm.

Why are all my friends so weird? Catra thought to herself with a smile on her face. Well, at least Adora is pretty normal....

"Catra, come see my beach towel! It has a unicorn on it." Adora called.

Ahh....maybe I just have a personality type I connect well with?

\-------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Catra, the water is nice! You should come on in." Adora waved from the ocean, where she had been relaxing with Bow and Glimmer for the past few hours .

"I'm good, actually." Catra said from her lounge chair.

Adora made her way from the ocean to Catra's chair. Catra had been like this yesterday at the hotel pool too, just staying in her chair the whole time.

"Catra, is everything ok? It's okay if you can't swim, we can just stay in the shallow part of the ocean."

"No, it's....I'm just....I'm scared of the water. Sorry, you probably think that's dumb." Catra pushed sand around with her foot.

"I don't think that's dumb! And if you want to go do something else, we can, just us. Do you want to go to the boardwalk?"

Catra nodded.

When they reached the boardwalk, they were surrounded by the sounds of arcade games and people everywhere, the smell of fresh french fries and cotton candy, and the view of the giant ferris wheel in the distance.  
Adora pointed at a giant stuffed cat above a game. "I'm gonna try to win that one for you!"

Catra laughed. "You can try, but I think all these games are probably rigged, no?"

After each of them tried at the game a few times, Adora had to admit that the game was probably rigged. They tried their hand at some other games, from Skee-ball to Pacman. They held hands as they made their way through the souvenir shops, stopping to get dinner at a outdoor restaurant.  
"Wow, it's still kind of light outside." Catra looked over at Adora. "Do you want to go on a roller coaster or something?" She pointed at the rides.  
"Absolutely."  
"I guess most of the families have left, since it's getting late. We almost have this whole section to ourselves." Catra squeezed Adora's hand as they got tickets. They went around to the roller coasters and the tilt a whirl as the sun set, and finally, the ferris wheel. Since it was dark outside, the entire ferris wheel was lit up.

As they reached the top of the ferris wheel, Adora leaned forwards, brushing back a wisp of Catra's hair. Their lips met, as gentle as a butterfly.

I love her.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Emmeryn, you are my favorite person right now." Catra said to the redhead who was innocently drinking a can of Coke. "And whoever came up with the brilliant idea to bring booze, you're on my shit list."

"But I thought IIIIII was your most favorite person." Adora leaned against Catra, almost falling into her arms. "You're my favorite person, Catra. You're all my favoritest people in the whole world and I LOVE you. L-o-v- what comes after v...."

"Adora, I love you too. SO much. I just love everyone so much and I want us all to be bestest friends forever...." Scorpia started to cry, until she noticed Emmeryn's hair and started to touch it. "Wow. It's really red!"

Well, at least Entrapta had fallen asleep. Glimmer and Bow were also relatively sober, and were trying to play Cards against Humanity on the couch.  
"GUYS, Bow has a crushhhhh."

Okay, well, relatively was a strong word.

"Glimmer, Perfuma and I are just friends. She's just texting me a lot because I'm interested in her ecology stuff in Costa Rica."

"Noooo, I see the look on your face when she texts you. You liiiike her."

"She's two years older than me. TWO. That's two years, that's a lot. It's not....not gonna happen."

"Emmeryn, your hair is so pretty." Scorpia's eyes widened. "YOU'RE so pretty." Emmeryn couldn't help but giggle. Scorpia was very drunk, but unlike Adora, who's personality completely changed, Scorpia just...more emotional, she guessed. "But you also make ME feel pretty."

"Aw, I'm happy I make you feel pretty! Do you want some food or something? Because you have had a lot of alcohol."

"But....but...you're the FIRST person to make me feel pretty! Because you do stuff with me like go on dates and be romantic. And other people can....." Scorpia was obviously searching in her inebriated mind for what she wanted to say. "....people can be mean. But you're not, you're different and special!" She has literally never opened up about any of this before. Emmeryn thought to herself. She didn't know how she was going to bring this up when Scorpia was sober, but at least she knew she could set up a cute date last minute....  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Wow, I don't remember anything from last night! I sure hope I didn't say anything embarrassing or...." Scorpia noticed the note on her bedside, from Emmeryn, detailing a location to meet at a certain time later that day.

When she arrived, she found the address was at a marina, and saw Emmeryn standing next to a tall guy with facial hair.

"Ahoy, young buccaneers! I'm your pirate captain, Sea Hawk, and today we will..." He paused as Emmeryn stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. "....take a laid back, yet subtly romantic, cruise around the bay. I also have an accordion for mood-setting, yet unobtrusive, sea shanties. "

"I know you were really excited about the boats before.....so I thought this might be fun for us?" Emmeryn took Scorpia's hand in hers.

"I love it! You're so thoughtful." Scorpia bounced up and down on her toes. Riding in a speedboat was fun, but it was Emmeryn's care in picking this out that made it extra special. They rode around for a while, even seeing dolphins, before Sea Hawk dropped them off at another part of the seashore. Unlike the bustle of the section near their hotel, it was very quiet here, with old houses and fancy-looking restaurants dotting it.

"Um...so this is like the best places to watch the sunset on the entire shoreline of this state! There's also like pieces of quartz that you can find here sometimes and you can get them refined so they look like diamonds!....and after the sun sets, I made us reservations at this place I heard was good....and.....yeah!" They were silent for a moment. Then, she stared up into Scorpia's deep brown eyes, and then leaned up to kiss her. Scorpia wrapped her arms around Emmeryn, picking her up as they kissed.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Adora stared into her chocolate chip pancakes. "I'm going to miss you a lot."

"Hey, it's not like I'll be leaving forever. Just ten weeks." Catra put a reassuring hand on Adora's. The trip was almost over, which meant that Catra would be going to another state to start her summer research opportunity for kidney medicine. It was going to look great on her resume, but Adora was going to miss her intensely. In college, they saw each other almost every day. "And you'll be busy too, helping disadvantaged kids with science at that summer camp job you got. "

"Don't remind me about the camp, I'm still pretty nervous." Adora was going to be an education major, and had experience volunteering with kids, but the idea of leading a lesson for a whole group still made her a little nervous.

"You're going to do amazing, and we can Skype every day if you want, and we can text all the time too, okay?"

"Okay." Adora squeezed Catra's hand.


	11. Summer II

68 more days.   
Adora sighed. Catra had only been gone two days, but it felt so much longer. Between the flight and getting settled in her research program, she hadn't texted Adora at all, except to let her know she landed safely.

Well, at least her position at the summer camp was starting today!

"Greetings!" The door swung open and Adora found herself face to face with a really tall man with dyed rainbow hair and ice blue eyes. "Welcome to the Brightmoon Center!"  
"I'm looking for Mr......Swift Wind? I'm here for volunteering." I think Swift Wind was also the name of my horse when I was younger....  
"Well, you're looking at him! But you can just call me Swift Wind, I don't care much for formalities. And you must be....Adora! The summer camp is a new initiative, but we also have after school programs, serve lunch and dinner daily, help connect our visitors with job training or housing, get preventative care at our clinic..... ah so here's where's you'll be working."

"Oh, hi, Adora!" Spinerella was busy setting up the summer camp room, her pink hair pulled up into a ponytail. "I'm so happy you'll be here as my assistant! I set up some activities for today, and the kids should be coming in right about......."

A small child ran up to Adora and hugged her leg.

"Aw, hi there! Welcome to summer camp! We're gonna have so much fun together!" Almost immediately, several more children swarmed her.  
"Hi!! I like your ponytail." A kid reached up to pull her hair.  
"Do you have games on your phone?"  
"I have to go to the bathroom now!!!"  
"I'm her favorite because I hugged her first!!!"

It was going to be a long day.

\-----------------------------------  
"So, here's the Golden Gate bridge!" The tour guide exclaimed, as Catra took a few pictures with her phone. In her research program, they had some planned activities where they got to tour San Francisco, like Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, and the Mission District. A thought ran through her mind: I bet Adora would really love a tour like this.

She smiled as she thought of her girlfriend. As the tour wrapped up, Catra headed back up to her dorm room, and opened up her laptop.  
Skyping: Adora   
"Hey, Adora. How was your day at work?" The video quality wasn't good, but Catra could make out a grainy image of her girlfriend's face.

"It was so longgggg......" Adora sighed. "One of the kids called me ugly because I asked him to stop playing Fortnite on the computers."

"Ooh, he sounds like a bad one."

"But like, it's not all bad! Some of the kids are so excited to learn, and it's awesome when they can teach them something new. How's California?"

"It's pretty fun! We've gotten to see a lot of the city, and I really am learning a lot about medicine. But everyone here is older than me and hearing them talk about MCAT scores and interviews...it makes me realize just how much further I have to go I guess...but I really do miss you. I wish you were here with me."

Adora put her hand on her heart. "Awww, I wish you were here with me too! Actually, no, I wish I was with you in California."

"We should come back here, one day. Together."

They sat in silence for a little while, Catra just taking in getting to see Adora's face.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Even though the summer camp had only lasted three weeks, and even though it had been pretty challenging, Adora had decided to keep volunteering with Swift Wind for the rest of the summer, She ended up doing a lot of work in the small clinic. The clinic wasn't able to provide a lot of services- mostly preventative ones like free cancer screenings and blood tests, vaccines, or check-up visits. A rotation of doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician's assistants were volunteers there, and it was fascinating to watch them work, although Adora mostly did clerical work. That said, being more aware of the problems people faced made Adora feel almost overwhelmed. There were so many things that needed to be done,from education to social work to government stuff, to really make a difference. Swift Wind just kept reminding her that "she'd find her path" eventually.

"Alright, thank you so much for coming! We'll mail your blood test results to you and you should get them within a few days." She said cheerfully to an elderly woman.

"Thank you, dearie. You know, the world needs more doctors like you."

"Oh, I'm not a doctor, just a volunteer...."

The woman ignored her. "Usually, when I tell doctors about a problem or concern I'm having, they treat me like I'm crazy....but you people really listen to me. And I appreciate that."

\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
"You totally owe me for this." Bow said as he drove Adora to the airport. Adora wanted to be there partly because she missed Catra like crazy, but also because she knew Catra's mom wasn't able to make it because of work. So this was going to be a total surprise for Catra....

"Yeah, anytime you want a favor or something just let me know." As they pulled up to the airport, Adora clutched her "Welcome home Catra!" sign.

When they had gotten as close as they could to the gates in the airport, so they just found a gift shop and started looking around.  
"Adora, I'm getting so tempted to buy this T-shirt. Like it's thirty five dollars, but I think it's worth it....."

"No, Bow! Resist the urge! You can't......oh, I think I see Catra!" She could just make out the silhouette of Catra getting her luggage.

"Catra! Over here!" She waved her sign.

"Oh. My. God." Catra's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hide a smile. "You did NOT drive all this way to come pick me up, and make a sign and everything."

"Well, technically, Bow drove, but I came up with the idea. I just....I missed you so much!" She pulled Catra in for a hug.

Catra's arms wrapped tightly around Adora. Catra didn't say anything, but Adora could feel a wet spot on her shoulder. "Catra...are you crying?"

"What? No, my eyes are just irritated from the plane! Um...we should go and get something to eat because I'm really hungry."

I'm so happy she's back.


	12. Round Two

“You know, I didn’t think the dorms here could get worse, but I was proven wrong.” Mermista looked around the dusty old dorm room.

“I think it has a certain charm!” Sea Hawk finished moving the last piece of furniture in.

"Guys, we're finally sophomores!" Adora's eyes sparkled with excitement. Now that they were sophomores, she, Glimmer, and Bow had moved into a suite along with Sea Hawk, Mermista, and Emmeryn. Catra, Scorpia, and Entrapta were right down the hall which meant they could come over practically anytime. Like now!

"Hey, Adora." Catra kissed her cheek as she walked in with her friends.

"Did you meet your new suitemates yet?"

"Yeah, they seem pretty nice. There's Lonnie, Rogelio, and......Calvin?"

"No, I think it's Kevin." Scorpia set down a tray of brownies.

"....Cameron?" Entrapta looked up from the miniature robot in her hands.

"Maybe Lyle? I don't know, that's pretty irrelevant. Anyways....."

The doorbell rang. "Bow, can you grab that?"

"On it!" Bow opened the door to find Netossa, Spinerella....and Perfuma. "Oh.....hi." He awkwardly looked down and shuffled his feet.

Bow, you've been texting her all summer, come on, I'm trying to play matchmaker for you here! Adora slid up to them. "So, what's everyone's plans for the fall semester?"

"Student teaching." Netossa and Spinerella said at the exact same time, and then laughed.

"I'm actually going to be leading the healing yoga club!" Perfuma adjusted the flowers she was wearing in her hair. "I would really love if some of you came out to it, you can really be a total beginner...."

"I could come!" Bow suggested. "I mean, I would be an absolute beginner, but I would love to come!"

As Perfuma started talking to Bow about preparing yourself for yoga and the proper mindset to get yourself into, Adora smiled. Maybe things will work out between them after all.  
———————————-  
A few weeks into the school year, Adora had gone over to her academic adviser's office to talk to her about potentially changing her concentration to pre-medicine.

Dr. Hope looked over from her desk “I'm not going to lie to you, medical school admissions are quite competitive. You do have strong grades, volunteering, some experience in a clinic, but you also need to complete all the prerequisites, get some shadowing and research experience, eventually do well on the MCAT....I know it sounds like a lot, but based on your previous record, I really think you have a strong potential for success.

Even though she was supportive to everybody, Adora couldn't help but feel validated somehow, like this dream wasn't completely crazy.

"So, how'd it go?" Catra was casually leaning back in her chair outside the office when Adora came out of the office.

"Well,I'm actually thinking of changing my concentration from education to pre-medicine." Adora

"Really?" Catra raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, volunteering at that clinic over the summer really made me consider it! I just want to help people and I really feel like I can help people with it." Adora said cheerfully.

Catra looked away, running her fingers through her hair. "Just....Adora, it can be really hard, and competitive."

"Now we have each other! We can help each other study, look for shadowing opportunities together......" Adora didn't understand why Catra wasn't meeting her gaze.

"I just, I don't want you to feel like you're making a mistake."

"But I don't. Dr. Hope even said I had strong potential."

"Adora, I've been preparing for this since I was literally twelve. I went to a specialized high school for it, took all the right classes, did so many programs at my local hospital, founded my school's Red Cross club, and now, I can't say this without sounding awful...."

She knew what she was going to say before she even said it. "....you don't want me to go into it because you've worked so hard to get where you are?"

"Yeah, I mean, no, I mean, look, it's a competitive field, and then....then where does that leave us? Adora, please understand, this has been my only goal literally since forever, and....."

Adora's heart was racing, and she could feel her breath catching. As if she was in a dream, she carefully picked herself up and made her way towards the doors at the end at the end of the hallway. She could distantly hear Catra's voice asking where she was going, but she pushed the doors open and started running, her feet carrying her into the cool fall air, into the darkness.


	13. Patrol

The door slammed open. "I ran over at soon as Entrapta texted me that you were sad." Scorpia paused a second to catch her breath. "Catra, we're gonna talk about what's bothering you and we're gonna fix it!" 

Catra lay in her bed, bundled in her blankets, where she had been for the past few hours. "What am I even supposed to say to her? I get that I must sound like such a dick when I say that I'm hurt by her decision to change her major, but like....it's literally been the one thing I based my identity off for so long. I've worked so hard to get where I am, and she just swoops in and takes that away from me, even if she doesn't mean to...." 

"Well, maybe I could try to cheer you up? We could do our nails, eat snacks, watch Mamma Mia..."

 _She's got me, I do love Mamma Mia._ "Yeah, that sounds fun." 

"OK, Operation Cheer Up Catra, go! I'm gonna grab some snacks, all your favorites, and I will be back in, like, twenty minutes, okay?" Scorpia smiled, her winged eyeliner precise as always, as she left the room.

Lonnie walked by, tapping on Catra's doorframe. "Someone has a crush. I mean, she literally sprinted up the stairs. " She said with a smirk, gesturing towards the door.

"It's not like that. She has a girlfriend." Catra collapsed back onto her bed. Her mind wandered to her friendship with Scorpia. Shortly after they had first met, it was pretty obvious that Scorpia had a major crush on her. She had never outright told Catra that, but literally anyone could see it. The blushing, the awkwardness, the way too big gestures of "friendliness"...she definitely had feelings for Catra at some point. _Hell, maybe she still does._ Could feelings you had for years disappear after a few months of dating someone new? Catra hadn't dated anyone but Adora, but she had hooked up with other people before they got together. Yet her mind never really faltered from Adora.... The door opened again. A blonde ponytail and determined grey-blue eyes. 

"We need to talk." 

"There's not really anything to discuss, Adora." 

"Yes, there is. We're both in the same emergency medical services training class but you don't even acknowledge me when I'm there. We could possibly be working together,we have the same goals and you just treat me like I don't exist" 

"Just...you will never understand how I feel. I had one thing that I based my identity off of, one thing that finally made me feel good about myself, one thing that I worked at for years to get where I am, and in just a few months, you've done a great job at taking it away from me!" It came out a little harsher than Catra had intended, and she could see Adora's eyes start to fill up with tears. _Nice going Catra, fucking things up even more._

"I think we need a break." Adora said, her voice holding back a sob.

\---------------------------------------------

"So this is where I come to hang out during my EMS shifts! And you'll be here too today! Best friends together!" Scorpia cheerfully announced. Things on the Catra/Adora front had apparently gone from bad to worse and she was determined to make sure her friend's first shift as part of the college's EMS group wasn't completely marred by it. Most nights were pretty quiet, so she had set up a little "home base" that was in the center of campus.

Catra seemed....unimpressed. Maybe distracted was the better word. "Ugh, I saw Adora today. She's going to a dance club with Sea Hawk tonight. I bet it's some sort of a date, and you know how Sea Hawk is always flirting." 

"I mean, it's only been a few days. I don't think she'll have completely forgotten about you. And Sea Hawk is like that with everyone, it doesn't mean he actually has feelings for her." 

Catra turned towards Scorpia. "How long does it take to get over someone?" 

"Uhm.....I guess...." Scorpia searched inside her mind for the answer. She had never truly let herself believe that Catra would ever return her affections, but she had still had feelings for her for a few years in high school, and when they initially started college. It was only after she had met Emmeryn that she had started to actually get over Catra, and now they were dating and everything was awesome and....

"Scorpia, do you still have feelings for me?" The question felt like it had body slammed Scorpia, if not for the weirdly flirty way Catra said it, than for it's bluntness. It was a painfully open secret that she had a crush on Catra for however many years, but they had never, ever, spoke about it. Catra smirked, her hand making its way down Scorpia's arm.

"I....." Scorpia felt herself nervously press up against a wall. "I have a girlfriend!!" Was Catra very attractive? Yes. Did Catra still have the confidence, the charisma, all the traits that had made Scorpia first fall for her? Yes. But where Scorpia imagined she should have at least some nostalgia towards her past crush, she really just....didn't. Scorpia prized herself on her loyalty, so she would never cheat on Emmeryn, but it went further than that. _I guess I just feel so strongly about Emmeryn that I could never even imagine being with someone else._ Truthfully, Emmeryn had all the same traits that Scorpia found attractive in Catra, just...shown differently. She was still a strong person, she just didn't outwardly showcase what she had done. And maybe it was just Scorpia's priorities shifting,but after so long doing selfless things for people without expecting anything in return, it was actually kind of nice to get that validation back from someone else.

"Oh my God, what am I even doing?" Catra put her head in her hands. "I am actually an awful person." 

"Catra, we all say things we don't really mean, or that we regret later." For so long, Scorpia had idolized Catra, believing the brunette girl could no wrong, have no flaws, but in the florescent lights, she could see that she had flaws just like everyone else.

\---------------------------------------

"You are the _last_ person I wanted to be on patrol with." Adora muttered. The two were just walking around the crowds of students on a Friday night, waiting for their EMT shift to be over. 

"Aww, poor princess couldn't get just what she wanted? Welcome to the real world." Catra said icily. "Or maybe your new boyfriend can come save you from the misery of being stuck with me." 

"It's not like that! And I wasn't the one who....oh my God, that guy over there just collapsed!" On instinct, the two women raced over to him, Adora struggling to help lift him over to a chair, until he fell out of her arms and started convulsing. 

"We need to call EMS!" _Adora, you are the EMS._ She thought to herself dimly. _Get it together!_ She couldn't stop her heart from palpitating, her breath from being shallow, but she needed to push it aside, needed to...

"Adora, breathe." She felt a comforting hand on her back. There was no sense of malice in Catra's voice, no mockery, just....warmth. "We can do this. I'm pretty sure he's having a seizure." She turned to the group starting to crowd around the young man. "Don't worry, EMS is here! I need you all to stand back, give him some room." 

She met Adora's eyes and the two nodded. They didn't even need to speak as they started working together in perfect tandem. Adora tucked her jacket underneath his head and started loosening his collar as Catra gently turned him onto his side and started monitoring his vitals. After a few minutes, he had started to regain consciousness and was able to answer basic questions, but since this was his first seizure, they decided to call transport to the nearest hospital. As more seasoned paramedics began loading him into the hospital bed, they were even congratulated on a great first case. Adora cracked a smile. She had actually been able to help someone! She had been able to react to an emergency, and treat a patient, and everything! But she couldn't have done it without....

"Adora, we did it!" Catra's canines were showing in a bright smile and she practically giggled. 

"We make a great team." Adora put a hand on Catra's shoulder, and it stayed there for longer than was strictly necessary. 

"This doesn't magically make everything better." Catra said quietly.The thing Adora didn't want to admit it, but Catra was right. Adora shivered and put her hands in the pockets of her jacket. 

She felt a buzzing at her hip. "Requesting EMTs to the Townhouses. Someone got drunk, fell down the stairs, fell unconscious."

"On it." Adora responded. Catra grabbed their medical supply kit. "Let's go, partner."


	14. Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all so much for over 100 kudos!!
> 
> sorry for the minimal catradora in this chapter. the next chapter will have perhaps, a full reconciliation, and another kiss? in another part of the country? stay tuned :)

"Is this thing working...." Bow fiddled with the computer until a grainy picture of Glimmer appeared. 

"Hi, Bow!" Glimmer yawned. It was much later in Switzerland, where Glimmer was studying abroad, than it was in America. "How's America?" 

"I mean....it's here, I guess. I actually kind of need advice...." _Geez, I'm almost twenty and I'm still hopeless when it comes to dating._ Glimmer and Adora had both dated before, but he was the only member of the trio to not have ever dated anyone. ".....I kind of have a crush on someone." 

"Bow, literally everyone on earth knows you have a crush on Perfuma. Just be open and honest with her, ask her out already!!" 

"I mean, you're right, but just....I'm really nervous about thinking about what or how to ask...." 

Glimmer took a second to think. "Maybe you could try asking Mermista and Sea Hawk for advice?"

"Well Sea Hawk talked about doing some grand gesture of affection on a boat, and then Mermista told me that as long as I wasn't like Sea Hawk, I would be fine? So I don't know. But out of anyone I could ask, I trust your opinion the most. Maybe we could just hang out and then I'll find a good time to tell her how I feel?" 

"And I trust that you'll know exactly when the right moment is."

\-------------------------------------------------------

The rain poured down around them. 

"This sucks." Catra crossed her arms. "It's Halloween, my favorite holiday, and I can't even celebrate because I'm stuck on late-night patrol again." 

"I think Halloween's like, the busiest night of the year for campus EMS. That or Homecoming." Adora glanced down. At least she painted her nails orange so she could feel festive on the inside. Not that she actually felt festive on the inside. _Hold it together, Adora. Hold it together until you get home and then you can cry your eyes out. But not here, not in front of Catra._ If she and Catra had one thing in common, it was their stubbornness. She would never let Catra know how she felt...

"Come on, just tell me what's wrong. We've been friends since we were 8, and you're terrible at hiding your feelings. You literally look like you watched a dog die." 

_Shit._ "Why? So you can make fun of every weakness I have?" The words came out a little harsher than intended. 

"Adora...." Catra's face softened. 

"Just, sometimes I think I made a mistake, ok? I look at myself and think, there's no way I'm cut out to be a doctor. The classes are so hard, I feel like I'm so behind everyone else, and just college in general has been so difficult for me...."

"I feel that way too sometimes, everyone does...." Catra put a hand on Adora's shoulder.

"And sometimes I worry that everyone secretly hates me like, like when you stopped loving me..."

"Adora, I never stopped loving you, ok? Like, I don't know how to resolve all my thoughts and feelings, but Adora, I do love you." 

"Catra....." Adora turned around, her blue-grey eyes watery. Deep down, she never did think Catra had stopped loving her, but it had been easy to think that way. She searched inside her mind for the words to respond., but it was full of tiredness and worry over her test the next day and felt like a laundry list, but all she knew was that she wanted to hear those words over and over again,forever. 

"Aw, shit." Catra pulled apart as a call came through. 

Adora bit her lip. Of course, she had to go attend to this call, and the flurry of calls that came after it, but all she wanted was to talk to Catra.

\-------------------------------------

"I'm so excited!" Perfuma looked at the theme park in front of her. "I've never done something like this for Halloween before." The local summer theme park always reopened for about a week around Halloween, and was completely decked out in a spooky theme. 

"Yeah, Adora and Glimmer and I usually do this every year, but this year, I thought it would be fun to just go just by ourselves." Bow hoped Perfuma didn't catch on to how nervous he was. This was their first time actually going somewhere together by themselves, like....like a date. Bow guessed Perfuma usually did something really cool on Halloween like go to a party or...

"When I was in high school, I used to just stay at home and give out candy." Perfuma confessed. "Now that I'm in college, I usually do a horror movie night with Netossa, Spinnerella, and Mermista, but I think this will be really fun too!" 

They walked around the park together, riding some of the rides,going onto some of the special haunted attractions. Bow was surprised by how calm he felt. He expected he would keep being as nervous as he was originally, but with Perfuma, he didn't have to be. Even though it was his very first date, she made him feel like there was nothing to worry or stress out about. 

_I trust that you'll know exactly when the right moment is_ The night was starting to wind down, and as they were walking across the park, Bow felt their hands brush.

"Perfuma, I don't want to make things awkward between us but....but I really like you, as more than a friend..." 

"Bow, I feel the same way...I love spending time with you."

They stared into each other's eyes, Bow focusing on the light brown eyes surrounded by freckles in front of him. After a few seconds, they kissed, and he felt fireworks.   
\------------------------------------------------  
_I never knew kissing could feel this good...._ Scorpia hadn't been the first person Emmeryn dated or kissed, but she was definitely the first person Emmeryn really enjoyed kissing. They were intertwined on top of Emmeryn's bed, their lips locked, Emmeryn running her hands through Scorpia's hair. She suddenly stopped, remembering something she had been wanting to ask her girlfriend for a while.

"Actually, there's something I wanted to talk to you about...you probably don't remember any of this, but when we went to the beach that one time, you mentioned how, like, I was the first person to make you feel pretty. Just....if you want to talk about it with me, I'm here." She stared up at Scorpia's bright brown eyes, her high cheekbones and cupids-bow shaped lips. "And you are really beautiful. Honestly." 

"I....." Scorpia's eyes darted around the room. "I mean it doesn't really matter..."

"Scorpia, anything you want to talk about matters to me." 

Scorpia ran a hand through her short hair. "Well, you know, I grew up in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. I was probably the only kid in about a hundred miles who was Asian, I didn't exactly fit into the whole 'petite, blonde, blue eyed' standard of beauty they had. I guess people saw me as different. And then people figured out I was gay even before I did, and just...they were just awful about it. I don't even think it was the outright harassment that bothered me the most,it was the little remarks or weird glances or just not wanting to be around me. There were girls who were attracted to me, I guess, but they only ever viewed me as hookup material or an experiment, not as a person with feelings. No one ever made me feel like I was pretty or special or worth actually dating before. And I....I...." She trailed off.

Emmeryn pulled Scorpia into a tight hug, feeling her girlfriend's tears brush against her shoulder."Scorpia, I'm so sorry that happened to you. You didn't deserve any of that. I wish....I wish I could go back in time and prevent any of that from happening, but I guess what I can do make sure you know just how much of an amazing person you are. Every day from now on, I'm going to do my best to do that, because I love you so much, and I'm so lucky to be your girlfriend.

"You can open up too, if you want." Scorpia said. Emmeryn was surprised that Scorpia could even sense that something was bothering her. She had never exactly told Scorpia about everything that had happened to her, or how it had been weighing on her mind lately.

"Well, I was....I was bullied a lot when I was younger. I don't even know why I was being bullied, I think people are just cruel for the sake of it sometimes. People would make all kinds of comments about how ugly I looked, they would take pictures of me when I was going to class, post stuff online, ask me out as a joke....they acted like I couldn't hear or understand what they were saying.The worst part is, I'm still not over it, I still think about what they said or did to me. How the idea of someone wanting to date me was the funniest thing in the world, how no one would ever want to marry a freak like me....I just tried to keep my head down, keep quiet, escape into something else to get through the day, but sometimes I wonder if I could have said or did something different, if it was my fault...."

"Emmeryn, none of that was your fault, okay? The people who did all that to you....they were cruel but they were also liars. You're a strong, passionate person, and beautiful both inside and out." 

"....it's just not fair, you know? And now we have to act like everything is fine and nothing ever happened, and hold it together as we just try to live our lives, while they never faced any repercussions and they..they won't even realize that what they did hurt us, or they won't care."

"Yeah it's pretty awful....but I got to meet you, and I would never trade that away for anything. I want to believe that everything that happened ultimately brought me here, to you, to us." 

"Scorpia, I just..." Emmeryn couldn't find the right words in her mind to describe just how much she loved her girlfriend, how she was a ray of sunshine in her life, how she inspired her because she was so positive in spite of everything, so instead she just pulled her in for a passionate kiss.

"Hey!" Entrapta cheerfully knocked on their closed door. "I was wondering if you guys wanted to go bowling with me. There's a deal because it's Halloween and I'm guessing it's not a typical Halloween activity?"

Scorpia and Emmeryn raced to compose themselves, and wipe off their running makeup, and then answered the door. "Hey, Entrapta..." 

"Were you two having sex? You look flushed." Entrapta didn't have much of a filter. Or any filter really. 

"Yes." They both answered at the same time. It was easier to explain. Scorpia continued, "Bowling sounds fun but fair warning, I'm actually pretty bad..."

"Me too! I always get bumpers and then I just use them to get the ball in." Emmeryn said. 

Entrapta's eyes widened. "Wow, you use physics and angles rather than physical precision?"

"I guess, yeah." 

"OK, I'm going to get my shoes and some scientific equipment." 

Emmeryn giggled, then turned to her girlfriend. "I love you." 

"I love you too."


	15. California

"Bow, you're so cute when you look all focused like that." Perfuma giggled.

"But you're cuter!"

Adora playfully rolled her eyes at her lovestruck friends, and then refreshed her email for what seemed like the millionth time. She should be studying for finals, but she was so nervous about hearing back from this research program over winter break that Dr. Hope had told her to apply to that she couldn't help but think about it. Of course, Catra was also applying to it. 

_Adora Greyskull, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to the San Francisco winter break research program...."_

"Oh my God, I made it in!" She said, a bit louder than intended. 

"That's awesome, Adora!" Bow said with almost the same excitement. 

"Congrats, blondie." Catra leaned over from the table next to them. 

"Oh! Did..did you....." Adora would still kind of feel bad if Catra didn't get in...

"Yeah, I received my acceptance like a week ago." 

"So that means we'll be there together, in California." She remembered Catra's first time there, where she had mentioned that she and Adora should go back together. At the time, Adora had imagined a romantic getaway with her girlfriend, not a research opportunity with her sort-of-ex, but that was the way of the world. 

"Uhm....do you have a roommate picked out for the trip? Or did you book plane tickets?" 

"No, why?" 

Catra's face was practically as red as a tomato. "Well...I was wondering if maybe we could be roommates and maybe sit next to each other on the plane?"

Adora tried to contain her excitement. "That sounds g-good, yeah."  
\------------------------------------------------------  
"Why did I ask her to sit next to me on the plane? I'm such an idiot!" Catra was already at the airport, so it's not like she could change her seat. 

"Everything is gonna be fine! You could always just watch a movie or something if you don't want to talk." Scorpia suggested. 

"And you asked her because you're in love with each other, but you're also scared because you subconciously push people away?" Emmeryn chimed in, taking a sip of her slushie. 

"Okay, well, have fun while I'm gone."

"Text me when you land!" 

Catra walked through airport security, finding her gate and then eventually sitting down next to Adora. She had her headphones in and was reading a book, but looked up to give her a wave. 

_Be cool._ "Hey, Adora." She ran a hand through her hair. 

"Hey, Catra." Adora turned back to her book. _Wait, is she trying to act disinterested too? That's my thing!_

Catra nervously browsed the selection of movies. 

"None of those are particularly good, I checked." Adora said. "Do you want to maybe do a crossword puzzle together or something? It's a long flight."

"Sure, that....that sounds good." As the plane first took off, it was awkward, just pointing out a word here or there. But suddenly....they started talking. And things felt suprisingly normal. 

"This is actually my first time flying on a plane, so I'm a little nervous..." Adora admitted. 

"Really?" Catra was kind of shocked. _That must have been why she was so quiet earlier._

"Yeah, but now I'm too excited to be nervous." Adora pulled out a huge binder from her backpack. "I made a whole list full of stuff I wanted to see when I'm there! Like Alcatraz, the academy of sciences, Fisherman's Wharf..." 

_Just tell her how you feel.._

"I'm sorry." 

"What?" 

"Look, what caused this whole rift between us was because I was possessive and jealous and I let that get the better of me. So....I'm sorry. And I want to try again." 

Adora looked away, thinking, considering. _She's gonna say how she can never fully forgive me, and how..._ "I'm sorry, too." 

"Huh?" 

"You might have been kind of weirdly possessive over your major, but I think I should have been more willing to try and talk things out with you instead of just running away from my problems. So, I'm sorry too,okay?" 

The cabin lights switched off, and Catra found Adora's hand in the darkness. 

"Okay."  
\-------------------------------------------------------  
"You know this is place is kind of a tourist trap, right?" Catra said. At least Adora was having fun. The research program had been intense, so it was nice to have a day to just relax.

"Look, a two story Denny's!" Adora took a picture with her phone. 

"Ah yes, the authentic flavors of San Francisco." Catra laughed. They walked around the district for a few hours, going into all the overpriced tourist shops, stopping to get the traditional soup-in-a-bread bowl, and getting ice cream by Ghiradelli square. It was almost impossibly crowded, but Catra couldn't help but be happy, because Adora was happy.

"Look, sea lions!" Adora pointed to the sea lions in front of them. Even Catra was impressed by that, and she stood there watching them for a few minutes. The bay was illuminated by moonlight and even though they were getting jostled around by throngs of people, it was still really breathtaking to look at. 

It was late as they rode the cable car back to the university. 

"Catra?" Adora slipped a small package to Catra. "This is for you." 

Catra carefully opened it, to find a little seashell necklace. 

"OK, I know it's probably way more expensive than it would be if I bought it somewhere else but I just thought it was so cute and I wanted to give it to you now!" Adora said cheerfully. 

_Oh my god, she's so precious._

\-----------------------------------------------------  
"Adora, wake up." Adora felt Catra shaking her awake in their hotel room. 

"It's so early....." It was the last day of their research program, so pretty much all they were going to do was go to the airport in the early afternoon. Adora thought it kind of sucked that it was kind of a wasted day, but she didn't really plan anything. 

"There's something I wanna show you,come on." Well, if Catra felt it was worth going to, it was probably at least worth checking out. Adora dragged herself out of bed, got dressed, and let Catra guide her to a bike rental place that opened early, and then followed a mapped route through the city streets. 

"Is this somewhere you went last time?"

"Nah, it wasn't the right time to go, but maybe this time...." Adora noticed they were turning into a park, full of trees and plants that were lying dormant. Not much could be open this time of year, right? 

They biked their way up a hill, until Catra stopped. 

"This is the place." They stood in a small clearing for a few seconds, surrounded by brown, empty, trees. But there was something else there....

Adora stood in silence for a second. 

"....butterflies!" She found herself surrounded by dozens of monarch butterflies. "But it's winter?"

"Yeah I thought it was pretty weird when I read about it too, but apparently this is one of the best times to see them." 

"Catra.....I love you." 

"I love you too." 

She pulled Catra in for a gentle kiss, feeling butterflies landing on their shoulder.

_Nothing could get any better than this._


	16. Anti-Valentine's day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey i ended up deleting a chapter because i wanted to edit the flow of the story so....enjoy! very glimmer centric but i love glimmer

"Glimmer, do you think everything is ok with Bow?" Adora whispered to her best friend one January day in the dining hall underneath their apartment. "Just....ever since the new semester started, he's been kinda like....not his usually perky Bow self." 

"Adora, I know Bow better than anyone." Glimmer waved her fork around. "If he had a problem, he'd talk to me about it." She and Bow had known each other since they were literally in kindergarten. They had gone to school together, hung out at each other's houses, went to summer camp together. They talked about every problem, no matter how big or how small, whether the other person just wanted to listen or come up with solutions.

"Are we talking about Bow?" Entrapta came up to their table with her tray of food. "I hope he's been doing okay, ever since the breakup...."

"Wait, what?" 

"Yeah, you know, he and Perfuma broke up last week." Adora's jaw dropped open. She looked at their shocked faces. "Oh. So you didn't know?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Hey, Bow." That night, Glimmer gently knocked on the door of the room that he shared with Sea Hawk. Some part of her felt....betrayed that he hadn't come to her first, instead he was telling Entrapta about his problems, but she knew her friend needed her support more than anything. _It doesn't matter right now._ "Is there anything you want to talk about......or....."

"Uhm...well, uh, it's not a big deal or anything but..." He took a deep breath in, pulling his knees up to his chest. "Perfuma and I broke up last week." 

"Bow, I'm so sorry...."

"I broke up with her." He went on. Glimmer opened her mouth, then closed it. Somehow, Glimmer had always imagined the senior would be the one breaking Bow's heart, not the other way around. "You know, she was gonna graduate and then she had accepted a job offer in Hawaii, her dream job working with the environment. She wanted to try to make things work long distance....and I didn't. Just...I want someone who's gonna be reasonably close by, you know? but I also really cared about her, and I don't know if I made the right choice, and...." He ended up pulling her into a tight hug, and she wrapped her arms around him. 

"I know it's hard right now, but it's gonna get better, okay? Everyone is here for you, especially me, if you need anything or...or..." She trailed off. _For the first time, I don't really know the right words to say._

"Thanks for caring. You're my best friend, Glim." He pulled her in for a tight hug, 

"Always?" 

"Always. Wait, don't you have a French project due Friday? Shouldn't you start working on that?" 

" _Ugh._ Fine, but only if you come and work on something with me." _This is how we should always be. Best friends who tell each other everything._

\------------------------------------------------

"Hey guys. We brought food." Catra said as she walked into the "Best friend squad extended apartment." on a Friday night. "We would have been here sooner but these two idiots had to pet every dog they saw on the walk there and back." She pointed at Scorpia and Emmeryn.

"But they're so fluffy!!" Scorpia said as she put the bags down.

"Hey, Catra." Adora lay sprawled out on the couch next to Glimmer and Mermista where they were watching _Say Yes to the Dress_. "I know we were thinking of going out to a party or something, but can we just stay in? I'm so tired and it's so cold." 

"Of course we can." Catra let their fingertips brush. "Let me get you some food." She made Adora a plate as the TV played an advertisement for Valentine's day jewelry. 

"Oh, that's like a week away." Glimmer mentioned. _I wish I could be in love like Catra and Adora, or Scorpia and Emmeryn._ She had dated, but it had always been very casual, they had always cared about her more than she had cared about them. Had she even ever met someone she could see herself falling in love with?

"I think you mean Anti-Valentine's day!" Sea Hawk chimed as he came out of his room. 

"Anti-Valentine's day?" Glimmer asked.

"It's, like, this thing that Sea Hawk and I do together every year because we're always single on Valentine's day. So, we do something totally unromantic, but fun." Mermista explained.

"Can Bow and I come with you?" _This could be just the thing to cheer him up after his breakup!_ Glimmer thought to herself. 

"Sure, if you think you won’t go crazy hanging out with us all night.” 

\-----------------------------------------------------------  
"So what are you doing for Valentine's day?" Catra asked Entrapta as she got ready for her date with Adora. Adora had said to dress up, so Catra put on her favorite jumpsuit and was even wearing makeup. Despite the fact that she had left Valentine's day planning to the last minute, Catra felt pretty confident that she had gotten her girlfriend presents she would enjoy. To her surprise, Entrapta was dressed up a lot nicer than she normally did, her twintails pulled into neat double buns. 

"Uhm.....nothing!!!" 

"I think Sea Hawk and some other people are doing like a friend thing if you wanna go with them." 

"I'm good, but thanks!!" Entrapta said as she awkwardly grabbed her purse and headed out the door. 

_That's weird but whatever._ Catra thought to herself. As she got ready to leave, she found a note outside her door. _Meet me at the lake at the edge of campus. -A_

She walked towards the edge of the lake, her presents for Adora in her hand, and spied what looked like lights attached to a towering tree. As she approached, she found a makeshift fort made using sheets arched over tree branches, with string lights wrapped around them and cushions used as a base. 

“Catra, you’re here!” Adora pushed aside the sheet from where she was sitting cross legged inside the fort.

"You made this....all for us?" 

"I packed a picnic too." Adora smiled up at Catra, the fort reminding her of all the time they had spent together growing up. A million moments flashed back through Catra's memory. Adora patching up her knee when she fell, falling asleep on Adora's shoulder on the way home from sports practice, staying up all night watching horror movies so Catra could forget about whatever was making her sad. 

"Adora, I....." The soft light radiated onto them as she forgot what exactly she was going to say as her lips met her girlfriend's, Adora pulling her in for a passionate kiss. 

_She's always been there for me. And now I'll always be there for her._

 _\----------------------------------------------------------_  
"Alright, Anti-Valentine's day is happening!" Sea Hawk, Mermista, Bow, and Glimmer clinked their McDonalds cups together. They had kicked off their evening by going to a fast food restaurant, where there were sure to be no couples. After that, they were heading to 80s night at an old roller rink. They were all dressed up in 80s attire and had even done their makeup for the occasion. For the first time in a while, Bow was back to his usual self.

"Wow, this place is way nicer than last time I came here!" Sea Hawk exclaimed as they set foot in the rink. They had completely renovated the place, complete with an arcade and snack bar. 

“I still don’t think there will be any couples here...who goes to a roller rink on Valentines?"

"Oh, hey guys!" Scorpia and Emmeryn waved at them from the skate rentals. 

"Ugh, I hate couples. And romance. They're everywhere." Mermista sighed. 

"Maybe if you beat me in a game of air hockey before we start skating, you'll feel better?" Sea Hawk suggested. 

"Well, don't go easy on me or anything." Mermista playfully rolled her eyes. As Madonna's greatest hits started playing and Sea Hawk and Mermista faced off at the air hockey table, Glimmer and Bow found themselves standing next to each other, shoulder to shoulder. 

"Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for setting this up for us." Bow said quietly. "I actually got you something for Valentines, since you....you know, mean a lot to me." He reached inside his satchel and pulled out a small box that contained a delicate golden-colored bracelet. 

"Bow, this is so sweet....." Glimmer's voice cracked as she stared up into her best friend's warm brown eyes, his gentle smile. He was the one person she trusted more than anyone. Maybe.....he was someone she could see herself falling for. 

Maybe I have the tiniest bit of a crush on him. 


	17. Crush Crush Crush

"You totally have a crush on Bow, don't you?" Catra asked Glimmer one night as they were all getting ready to go to a party.  _Ah, Catra is still so blunt, even after all this time..._ Adora giggled to herself. 

"Wait, do you really? I kind of suspected, but I didn't wanna say anything..." Adora said. 

"Oh my God, this is so exciting!" Scorpia bounced up and down.

"What? No, I don't! Besides, he can probably hear us!" Glimmer protested.

"Nah, he and Sea Hawk are off getting snacks or something!" Emmeryn contributed, looking up from her makeup palette. "But guys, don't make her talk about it if she doesn't want to.....even though she totally likes him!"

"Wait, did all of you just figure this out now? I've known for like the past two months." Mermista said dryly, french-braiding her ocean-blue hair. "All those detective novels have finally been put to good use." 

"Well, our first course of action should be to calculate their compatibility using some mathematical formulas, and then...." Entrapta began explaining. 

"Oh, Glimmer doesn't need a formula to know whether or not she should be with Bow!" Adora exclaimed. "She should just follow her heart, and tell him how she feels."

"I know you're right, Adora, it's just hard." Glimmer sighed. "Like, he's my best friend, and I don't wanna make things weird...." 

"Maybe you should enlist a matchmaker to help set you guys up? Like on Million Dollar Matchmaker." Mermista suggested.

"Oh my God, I love that show!" Adora and Mermista had pretty different personalities, but the one thing they shared was their love of trashy reality television.  

"Why don't you just try to get closer to him naturally and see where it goes?" Catra suggested. 

"LOVELY LADIES, WE HAVE RETURNED FROM OUR EXPEDITION!" Sea Hawk hollered through the keyhole of the door. 

"Don't you have the key?" Mermista rolled her eyes. "Geez...."   
 ------------------------------------------------------------------

Glimmer put her head against the basement wall, feeling the booming bass of the music.  _Literally just go talk to him. He's right over there._ Despite her inner monologue, her feet didn't move towards their intended destination. 

 _Maybe Mermista's right, and I need a matchmaker to help set us up._ She glanced around the room.  _But who should I even ask?_

Her eyes settled on Sea Hawk, who was currently dancing around a pole in the center of the dance floor. 

_Well, Sea Hawk is super social and gets along with just about anyone. Maybe I should ask him?  
_

When he went over to the snack table, she followed him there, brushing back her dyed purple-pink hair.   
  
"Hey, Sea Hawk, this is kind of random, but I was actually wondering if you could maybe do a big favor for me?" She stared over his shoulder. "Wait, did you bring penne vodka to the party?" 

"I decided it was easier to eat than spaghetti!" He replied cheerfully. "Anyways, how may I be of assistance?" 

She leaned in close. "Okay, this sounds kinda crazy, but I really need someone to act as a matchmaker and help set my crush and I up!"

 "Me? A matchmaker?" Sea Hawk's eyes widened. "Really?"   
  
"Really. We can't set anything on fire though." 

"Well, that's certainly a goal we can set." Sea Hawk said thoughtfully. "Who's the lucky person?" 

"Uhm....right over there." Glimmer nodded towards Bow. 

"All right, let's reconvene and come up with ideas on the morrow." 

\--------------------------

"If I have to look at another one of these, I think my eyes are gonna start bleeding." Adora sighed as she leaned back against the wall of the campus cafe. Catra had been helping her apply to pre-med summer programs, but the process was incredibly draining.

"Hey, I know it's super boring, but when you finally get one, you're gonna feel awesome." Catra put a hand on top of hers, painted neatly with black nail polish. "And at least we have coffee!" 

"That we do." Adora stirred her cup of coffee that Catra had brought her. They knew each other's favorite orders by heart at this point. 

"I totally hate everything right now." Glimmer sighed, collapsing in a chair next to Adora. 

"What's up, Sparkles?" Catra asked. 

"Currently fighting Student Government to get more funding for the Feminist Alliance." Glimmer sighed. "It's like they take one look at my dyed hair and cute outfit and don't even take me seriously!" 

"Ah, Glimmer, there you are!" Sea Hawk approached them. "I'm here to discuss the...." He looked over at Catra and Adora. "Uhm...." 

"It's okay, they can know. Sea Hawk is gonna help matchmake me!" Glimmer explained cheerfully. 

"So, my plan is to organize some sort of group activity, and then set up romantic activities for you two within that." Sea Hawk pulled out a list of activities. "I have some possible activities listed here..."   
  
"Ooh, I wanna see too..." Adora leaned over Glimmer's shoulder. "I think a Renaissance Fair would be really cool!" 

"A re-what now?" Catra asked. 

"It's super fun! There's like all these medieval type activities and shows- and usually giant turkey legs!" Adora grinned at Catra. "Perfect place for a date. Or a group date." 

"It's settled! We'll tell him about it and then start to make the plans." 

 


End file.
